A couple who bought Palm Beach’s famous ‘Ham And Cheese House’ for $15.975 million in 2013 has seen the historic oceanfront estate listed for $105 million after a multi-year restoration. The property, officially known as Casa Eleda, is one of the recognisable mansions in Palm Beach, Florida.The seven-bedroom Italian Romanesque-style mansion has more than 13,000 square feet of living space and about 150 feet of direct ocean frontage. According to Daily Mail, it is located in Palm Beach’s prestigious Estate Section and is among a small number of properties on the island currently listed for more than $100 million.One of its most unusual features is a private tunnel running beneath South Ocean Boulevard. The tunnel connects the main residence directly to the beach, allowing residents to reach the Atlantic without crossing the busy road. At the end of the tunnel is an oceanfront cabana with a living room, wet bar and full bathroom.The house is also known for its distinctive red brick and coral stone exterior. Its horizontal red-and-grey design led locals to compare the mansion to a giant ham and cheese sandwich, giving it the nickname that has remained associated with the property.
Built in 1928
Casa Eleda was designed around 1928 by Swiss-born architect Maurice Fatio for investment banker Mortimer Schiff and his wife, Adele Neustadt Schiff. The name ‘Eleda’ comes from Adele’s name spelled backwards.Fatio took inspiration from the horizontal red-and-grey banding seen on some Italian buildings. Instead of using marble and terracotta, he used red brick and coral Key stone, also known as coquina stone, for the exterior.Mortimer Schiff died in 1931, followed by Adele in 1932. The property later passed through the hands of several prominent owners. In 1979, the town granted the house landmark protection, recognising its architectural and historic importance.
The seven-bedroom mansion has 13,000+ sq ft of living space and 150ft of direct ocean frontage.
A major restoration
In 2013, businessman Marion H Antonini, a former Xerox executive and turnaround specialist, and his wife Penny bought the property for $15.975 million. The couple then began a multi-year restoration designed to preserve the character of the nearly century-old house.Penny Antonini said the house was dark when they bought it but had “good bones”. “We appreciated the history and we wanted to retain it. It became a passion project,” she said.The restoration kept the property’s decorative details and old-house patina while the grounds were extensively landscaped. The work later received a preservation award in 2017.The couple also replaced the swimming pool with a new one inspired by a church in Venice, Italy. Marion Antonini died in 2021.
Historic details inside
The mansion retains several features from its original design, including intricate coffered ceilings, hand-painted and beamed cypress ceilings, ornate carved stonework, multiple loggias and marble fireplaces.The formal living room opens towards the ocean and connects to a striking bar room and an oceanfront library. The dining room has a dramatic beamed cathedral ceiling and another marble fireplace.The primary wing includes two bathrooms and closets, along with a private sitting room with a fireplace and a balcony overlooking the water. Other features include a chef’s kitchen, home office, exercise room, recreation room, elevator and wine cellar.The roughly one-acre property is arranged around a central courtyard. Loggias provide sheltered outdoor spaces around the pool and gardens, adding to the estate’s historic design.
The tunnel ends at the property’s private oceanfront cabana.
Route to the beach
The private tunnel is one of the property’s standout features. It runs beneath South Ocean Boulevard and gives the owners direct access to the Atlantic from the estate.At the beach end, the oceanfront cabana provides another living space, complete with a wet bar and full bathroom. The arrangement means residents can move between the house and the beach without having to cross the road.The property’s waterfront position, size and architectural history are central to its current asking price. Listing agent Christian Angle said the restoration had preserved the estate’s original character.“It has been pristinely and tediously restored to perfection. The architectural detailing is second to none, coquina columns, coquina and brick facade, amazing ceiling details and so much more,” Angle said.Casa Eleda is now listed for $105 million, more than six times the $15.975 million the Antoninis paid in 2013..The property is now one of six Palm Beach homes listed for more than $100 million.
